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Podcast Episode

Should Americans Fear China’s Dominance?

In Washington, policymakers frame competition with China as a zero-sum contest for power. But does slowing China’s progress actually benefit Americans—or is it a fool’s errand? What might a more stable future for U.S.-China relations look like, and what would it take to achieve it?

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By Christopher S. Chivvis and Jessica Chen Weiss
Published on Apr 9, 2026

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American Statecraft

The American Statecraft Program develops and advances ideas for a more disciplined U.S. foreign policy aligned with American values and cognizant of the limits of American power in a more competitive world.

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Pivotal States Series

The American Statecraft Program’s Pivotal States Series examines U.S. foreign policy through the lens of key bilateral relationships, mapping the way to a foreign policy more responsive to the realities of the mid-twenty-first century.

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In Washington, policymakers frame competition with China as a zero-sum contest for power. But does slowing China’s progress actually benefit Americans—or is it a fool’s errand? What might a more stable future for U.S.-China relations look like, and what would it take to achieve it?

In this episode of Pivotal States, Christopher S. Chivvis speaks with Jessica Chen Weiss, the David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins SAIS and author of the forthcoming book, What China Wants: And What it Means for the World to unpack the most significant bilateral relationship in the world today. They discuss what each side wants from the other and explore what framework the United States should adopt to manage relations going forward.

Hosted by

Christopher S. Chivvis
Senior Fellow and Director, American Statecraft Program
Christopher S. Chivvis

Featuring

Jessica Chen Weiss
David M. Lampton Professor of China Studies, Johns Hopkins SAIS
Jessica Chen Weiss

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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